Nya is the Japanese onomatopoeia for a cat's meow, and it became a familiar shorthand for catgirl characters in anime, where a character adds a playful nya to speech to sound feline, cute or mischievous. Online, short clips of that delivery are shared as reaction sounds because the meaning is clear even without context, and the sound works across anime edits, cosplay videos and meme compilations. Its appeal has lasted because it is instantly recognisable, easy to place over a reaction shot, and light enough to fit both wholesome and teasing moments.